Abstract for: Systems Thinking and Stories

Many parents want to teach their children about systems thinking. However, the need for a deeper understanding of interconnectedness may be the result of a cultural preference for specificity rather than diffuseness. Some approaches to teaching may be symptomatic solutions that reinforce dysfunctional cultural preferences. Stories are an ancient means by which people pass wisdom to the next generation in an engaging way. Systems thinkers can use stories to teach valuable lessons, and to do so can construct stories in ways that allow the audience to make personal application and identify with characters. Systems archetypes provide a guide to the construction of plots. The paper concludes by encouraging people to experiment with storytelling, to deepen their personal understanding of systems and to share knowledge with others.